anise
anise Lexical Profile
anise Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The seed-like fruit of the anise plant, or its distinct licorice-like flavor, widely used as a spice in baking, culinary dishes, and the production of traditional liqueurs such as absinthe and ouzo.
"The traditional Italian cookies were delicately flavored with anise."
An annual herbaceous plant (Pimpinella anisum) of the parsley family, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia, cultivated for its highly aromatic seeds.
"The farmer dedicated a sunny patch of the garden to growing anise and dill."
Word Nuance & Usage
Anise is frequently confused with star anise; while both share a highly similar licorice-like flavor derived from the compound anethole, they are harvested from completely unrelated botanical families.
• Rhymes for anise
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'anis', derived from Latin 'anisum', which comes from the Greek 'anison', a term used for both dill and anise plants, likely of ancient Eastern origin.